The Root of all Evil

Temple of the Darkthorn (#10/31, #283/365)

The Darkthorn is the Root of Evil, the God of Corruption, stylized as the Lord of Weeds, Thorns, Brambles, Briars, and parasitic Epiphytes. They are the antithesis of Galana the Plant Goddess, not growing for life, but growing instead to strangle the life out of others. This is the last of the major Four Temples of Thagwar; there are plenty of other gods to worship, but their holy houses are smaller and lack the religious militia-guards of Myknosis, Decay, Hmurresh and the Darkthorn. The Darkthorn Guards are Accursed and Ishkarim soldiers like the other temples, but armoured with weird wooden-plaques of lamellar armour, and are armed with thorn-covered staves with which to thrash the unbelievers. 

The High Priestess is a Qagdin, Tsath-Mio of Urev (thick-set, forceful), who was once a caravan-leader Macrosporum until, legend has it, the Darkthorn appeared to her whilst traversing the Deepshadow Woods. Tsath-Mio has a sideline selling magical items such as Thornbeasts and Scrolls of Darkthorn to the heathens, raising funds for the temple while hopefully winning converts with their latent power. She has heard rumours of the Crystal Pyramid of Thozer, who sounds to have strayed from the path of pure Decay and Corruption. Currently, Tsath-Mio's pet project is funding a Grand Caravan as a front, with which to infiltrate Thozer's gardens and seed them with the twisted pets of her God.

Magic Items:

Thornbeast Potion (Potion): When poured on the ground, summons a Thornbeast to do the bidding of the pourer. If the pourer is not a disciple of the Darkthorn, or a Qagdin, they may require a Test their Luck roll to control the creature. 50GP per potion

Scroll of Darkthorn (Scroll): When read (and usually inscribed with the Demon's Tongue, which may make reading difficult), summons a Darkthorn to do the bidding of the reader. If the reader is not a disciple of the Darkthorn God, or a Qagdin, they may require a Test their Luck roll to control the creature. 250GP per scroll